Princess Zelda's Birthday Party of Danger
by bah2501
Summary: Zelda is turning 16, and Hyrule is preparing to celebrate. But she is furious that her father is pressuring her to get married while her feelings for her childhood friend, Link, remain unexplored. Meanwhile, a greater threat to Hyrule is brewing...


Princess Zelda's Birthday Party…of Danger  
By Bennet H.

Hyrule castle town had been excited and busy for the past few weeks, and with good reason. Princess Zelda's birthday celebration was fast-approaching, and the King had spared no expense in making preparations. After all, this was no ordinary birthday party. Not only was Zelda a princess, which was obvious, but it was customary in Hyrule for a young girl to be regarded as a young woman, beginning on her 16th birthday. On top of that, it was widely rumored that the King of Hyrule had a husband in mind for his daughter, and some even suspected that he would make an announcement to that effect at the celebration.

Princess Zelda had heard about all these rumors, and, it suffices to say, she was not at all pleased. When she first heard of the rumors from one of her close friends a week ago, she confronted her father immediately. Now, her father the king was considered by many to be a clever man and a shrewd diplomat, but Princess Zelda could read him like an open book, and his lack of a satisfactory answer to these accusations made Zelda angrier than she had been in a long time. She had not spoken with her father since.

As the early morning sun shone in through her tower window, and the noise from the castle town, as well as the morning birdsongs, were just commencing, Princess Zelda was already up and dressed, but not in one of her normal extravagant dresses, befitting a princess of Hyrule—she was dressed as common as any girl that might be found. Her striking pale features and long, light blond hair were hardly complemented flatteringly by the dark brown garment. Her birthday was only a day away, so she was planning an unannounced trip. Impa, Zelda's caretaker and guardian since birth, who always seemed to have a sixth sense about such things (and this drove Princess Zelda absolutely mad sometimes), knocked on Zelda's door.

"Impa, I know that is you. It is always you. Leave me alone."

Princess Zelda did not know how Impa did it. It was as if Impa knew that Zelda was planning to rebel even before Zelda noticed the thought inside her head.

"I am not planning to stop you," Impa assured her through her locked door. "I just want to talk."

This both confused Princess Zelda and made her very happy at the same time. Her mind had been speedily pondering ways to escape from her room without Impa stopping her (perhaps out the window with bedsheets tied together?), but she was not coming up with anything satisfactory. Her window was very high up. So, Impa's offer not to stop her was an unexpected yet welcome pleasure to her pointy elf ears. Yet it left her very suspicious.

Princess Zelda opened her door and Impa calmly strode in, closing the door behind her. Impa, of the Sheikah people, was dressed in her usual attire—a cloak, fancy enough to befit the guardian of royalty yet modest enough to be inconspicuous and blend in, whenever Impa felt so inclined, which was often. While impossible to tell from looking, Zelda knew Impa's robes concealed light armor and more weapons than Zelda would like to guess. While Zelda's sworn protector by occupation, her relationship with Zelda had become complex ever since Zelda had stopped seeing her father as being perfect, when she was about 9 years old. While Impa made it no secret that she respected the King of Hyrule and was always on his side when it came to what he thought was best for his daughter, somehow Impa managed to balance this authority-figure role and remain Zelda's closest girlfriend as well, despite her relatively advanced age. Sometimes Zelda secretly suspected that Impa was able to always stay on her good side by using some sort of Sheikah mind-control voodoo. However, this was a suspicion that Zelda was never able to confirm with proof. Impa was squeaky clean, even after much Zelda investigation and spying.

Impa looked at Zelda with one of those looks that let her know she was about to say something important. "I do not know what you are planning to do, but there is something you need to know." Impa sat Zelda down on the corner of her bed, sat beside her in a chair pulled from a nearby table, looked back into Zelda's eyes, and continued. " Zelda, ever since you were a young girl, protecting you has been my whole life. Even though Hyrule has been as peaceful these past 16 years as it has ever been, if not moreso, the price of keeping it that way is that we never get lazy or careless. But, the way I have been keeping you safe is going to have to change. I will always be here for you, but there comes a time when you need to take responsibility for your own safety. I cannot keep you safe by denying you the ability to make your own choices, take your own risks, and live your own life. It is not fair to you, and it does not work. I cannot help you if you need to push me away to live your life, it is better if we face whatever may be coming as a team, even if that means doing it on your terms."

Princess Zelda squinted and studied Impa's expression. There is NO WAY Impa is going to use reverse-psychology trickery on me, Zelda told herself. Finally, however, Zelda caved. There is no way to stay suspicious of Impa! She is always right!

"Thanks, Impa. It really is nothing, I am just going to Hyrule forest to see Link. As out-of-the-loop as Link can be when it comes to gossip, I worry he may have heard the rumors that my dad is planning to introduce me to a future husband. I do not know how he would respond to that kind of news. I mean, he has always been a good friend, and marriage can change things, sometimes. Not that I am planning on going through with any of my father's evil schemes, the rumor itself is the problem."

"I could deliver any message, if you like," Impa offered.

"No, thank you, Impa." Zelda replied. "I think not bothering to visit personally sends the wrong message in and of itself! This is something I want to do, and I want to do it alone. So I would appreciate it if you let me go, and if you gave me a little privacy, meaning no stealth spying. If anything goes wrong, I will just have to rely on the years of training you have given me, turning me into a killing machine."

"As I said, you are all grown up now. I cannot stop you. Even your father knew this day would come. I suspect that is why he is so eager to marry you off, the thought of a completely independent Princess Zelda, running around Hyrule field and casting magic spells on Octorocs or unsuspecting travelers, terrifies him."

Zelda smiled. This was freedom she always told herself she wanted, and yet some part of her missed Impa bossing her around. No matter, she told herself, every stage of life has its advantages and disadvantages, and the most important thing right now is that I do not have to worry about how Link is feeling, I can go and see for myself. Princess Zelda walked to her trunk, and, opening it, removed a small dagger from her belongings. She tucked it hidden away in a slit in her common dress. Leaving Impa in the room, she walked to the stairs, starting to make her way to Hyrule forest.

* * *

The early-afternoon sun shone through, in small patches, through the dense forest overgrowth. Everything was simultaneously bursting with life, and yet completely silent. Even a nearby brook seemed to babble peacefully and quietly, its sound muffled by every patch of dirt, by every plant, and blocked by every tree. Link, after bathing to minimize any smell that might tip off his quarry that a hunter was approaching, had covered himself in dirt and sap, to complete the illusion. If an animal was lucky enough in its final moments to smell him, Link would smell as much like a forest plant or animal as he could muster.

Link, no more than 15 years old (but there was no way he could be sure about that), had seen his share of danger in life. Good with a sword, he had never met his match in a fight. Being thin and not incredibly strong, his strength came from his agility and courage. Many he beat at swordplay later commented that Link knew no fear. His dirty-blond, long hair stopped just short of his shoulders, and it usually stayed out of his intense green eyes.

Link breathed quietly and easily. Being invisible was a matter of preparation, patience, relaxation, and intelligence, he knew both instinctively and from years of practice. He silently walked in an upwind direction, his bow strung and arrow ready. Before Link caught site of any deer, he heard a noise, and he got as low to the ground as possible, still making no noise. His every motion was even more peaceful, relaxed and silent than the brook, babbling softly more than fifty paces off. His dark green tunic made him instantly indistinguishable from a distance from the nearby ferns, growing at the base of a large tree.

After a moment had passed, he knew that what he was hearing was not any deer. Link smiled. One of the reasons Link loved hunting was because it was ideal preparation to sneak up on Princess Zelda and startle the life out of her. However, the downside was that his dirt-and-sap regimen left him feeling somewhat lacking confidence that he was looking presentable, even by his standards. He removed a cloth from his tunic and wiped his face and neck as best he could. He unstrung his bow and secured it to his back, and he covered his quiver of arrows. Feeling as prepared to meet a princess as he could possibly make himself, he decided to climb the nearby tree—as the tree was knotted and extremely leaning, he could almost walk up its sloping trunk until he could look down on Princess Zelda from high above.

As if in honor of her presence, the forest seemed to Link to lighten up all around her. Colorful butterflies shone in the rays of sunlight beaming from above, and even the nearby dragonflies seemed to take on a jollier attitude at her coming. Perhaps part of it was that Princess Zelda seemed to choose the more open and spacious paths across the forest floor, which were of course somewhat brighter, compared to Link skulking through the shadows and dense undergrowth, where he could be most hidden.

While Link was fully aware of the happiness that seeing Princess Zelda always gave him, he regarded such strong emotions as more of a hindrance than a help to him. Of all the people Link had met in Hyrule or during his travels, only Princess Zelda seemed to ever be more than a stranger to him, as if only she could truly understand why he lived such a solitary life in the forest. He was not like the other people of Hyrule, just like Zelda was not either. In a way, they had both always been alone, and they would go on continuing to be alone, forever. Because of this, Link knew, staying friends with Princess Zelda was what mattered to him most, even if that meant bowing out gracefully should Zelda ever choose a husband that did not happen to be him. Despite being a bit of a hermit, Link knew enough about people to know what things could happen when feelings of love were expressed hastily and went unrequited. Link was no coward, but neither was he eager to risk everything he had with Princess Zelda to keep her entirely for himself.

Zelda paused. Just like Impa seemed to have a sixth sense for knowing what Zelda was going to do before she did it, Zelda was starting to develop a sixth sense about when Link was going to surprise her with one of his sneak-attacks. Resisting the urge to call out his name, and possibly attract forest bandits or moblins in the process, Zelda instead chose to act as inconspicuous as possible, as if she did not sense Link's presence. "If Link was planning a surprise attack, she would just have to let him," she supposed. Part of her felt a surge of pride. "I will just have to ACT surprised if he attacks me, because I know it is coming! Poor Link, he managed to surprise me so many other times, but not this time," she assured herself smugly. She casually glanced in every direction, and peeked above her. No sign of Link. Maybe I was wrong, she started to tell herself. She walked deeper into the forest, and began to feel annoyed. "Okay, either I was wrong about Link sneaking up on me, or I am right, and he is keeping me waiting long enough for me to get nervous. I hate him so much sometimes!"

Finally, just as she had finally given up and convinced herself she was imagining things, Link dropped as fast as lightning from above, and somehow landed softly. Princess Zelda jumped with shock, and Link grinned ear-to-ear. "I got her," he thought to himself. Despite the intense physical training with Impa that Zelda frequently endured, even she was amazed by Link's seemingly reckless falls. Judging by his speed, he must have been falling from at least as high as my towering bedroom window, Zelda observed to herself.

As the shock from Zelda's fright should have been wearing off, Princess Zelda was not regaining her breath as quickly as she had expected. Looking at Link, she suddenly realized that part of her was more scared that she would be getting married than she previously admitted to herself. What if her father and this mysterious suitor were not planning on taking no for an answer? Am I prepared to be disowned and locked in the dungeons on account of my marriage preferences? Or would I compromise and become all the things I hate, when push came to shove? On top of that, the thought that Zelda might be losing Link made her see him in a different light than she had throughout their childhood. To her, being with Link had always made Zelda more free to be her true self—out here in the forest, no one ever expected her to keep a straight face, be rigidly dignified, and regal all the time. She could even crack jokes, if she felt inclined (not that she frequently stooped to such nonsense, mind you).

But as Zelda was beginning to realize, it was more than that. Being with Link was not merely a passport from superficial displays of maturity and royalty. It was more than just permission to be free from responsibility. Link saw her as the person she wanted to be, a person who not only was more than just a crown-sporting political figurehead, Link expected her to be as outgoing, as adventurous, and as good a person as she always saw herself as being. Sometimes people like her father and even Impa got so wrapped up in practical necessities and political compromises that they forget to put the most important things first, like ideals and compassion, no matter the cost. Princess Zelda and Link were two people who did not know the meaning of compromise, and up until recently, neither of them felt they would ever have to.

But after a few moments, Link suspected something was troubling Zelda. As if sensing that he knew, Zelda decided to speak first: "Link, how would you feel about me getting married? To someone else, I mean."

Link's smile faded and he looked down, gathering his thoughts. He did not know what to say. As set as he seemed moments ago that he would bow out of Zelda's life is necessary, he somehow could not or would not bring himself to say that to her now. Instead, looking up, his expression unusually indecipherable, he took her hand and led her into the forest.

"Where are we going, sir? Am I being kidnapped?" Zelda half-joked, but the solemnity that accompanied the topic that she herself had brought up moments before could not be dispelled with joking banter, and she knew that.

Link led her, winding down a steep hill, to a part of the forest she had never seen before. Somehow, the mood of the forest itself changed, as if despite the silence remaining, the peacefulness was gone. But it was not the conversation topic that was to blame. The area itself was somehow different, but Princess Zelda could not tell why. Then, suddenly, she got her first clue.

As Link pressed aside a wall of tall ferns, Zelda saw past the opening what appeared to be a massive doorway in the side of the hill, made of stone in the shape of a giant, gothic lion's head, its mouth grotesquely gaping open as the entrance. Made of a dark-green stone that Zelda did not recognize but knew was not naturally found in this part of Hyrule, the doorway was almost other-worldly in appearance. Finally, Zelda remembered, from her studies, what this was.

"This is a doorway to the Underworld, isn't it?" Zelda asked. "Long ago, when our ancestors were engaged in a war with Ganon, these ancient underground labyrinths were used to hide fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom from him. How or why they were built originally, no one really knows for sure." Zelda remembered the legends. She continued, "if Ganon had managed to get a hold of both the Triforce of Power and Wisdom, he would have been unstoppable. Later, when Ganon was defeated by a hero wielding a magical sword and silver arrows and Ganon's spirit was sealed forever in the Temple of Time, peace returned to Hyrule, and the monsters that used to fill these dungeons disappeared… or so they say. You probably never took me here before because you were protecting me."

As Link and Zelda grew up, their fear of monsters gradually faded. Now, they merely had a healthy respect for the danger that the forest presented—despite the possibility that monsters may still lurk in such a place, Link and Zelda knew it was unlikely they would meet anything the two of them could not handle.

"But why did you bring me here?" Zelda asked. Link was not sure of that himself. His mind introspectively brainstormed on ways to answer that question. Perhaps he just did it to avoid talking about his feelings for Zelda. Of all the places that were a short walk from the part of the forest they were in, this was by far the most awe-inspiring, and on top of that it was the only one that he had not shown Princess Zelda before.

Zelda gazed into the distorted, gaping mouth of the stone-lion archway, down the sloping hallway into darkness. She smiled a kind of ironic smile to herself. In a weird way, the demonic doorway reminded her of a married life without Link, a prospect looming just before her, inviting her into an unholy, unsolvable maze of despair, darkness, confusion, and ultimately death. She gritted her teeth and made a decision.

"Link, I am having a birthday celebration tomorrow. It is kind of a big deal. Part of it is open to the public, but part of it is a private party. You know, for royalty, and certain guests." Zelda frowned as she imagined her father and this mystery suitor, ganging up on her like a pair of dodongos, preparing to charge.

"I know you and my father have never really gotten along so great, when you have seen each other at all, but I want you to come. Here, take this." Reaching into a slit in the side of her dress, she pulled out an embroidered card, and handed it to Link. He held it momentarily above his head in both hands, looking up at it. "This is a royal invitation. If you show it to the castle guards, we can spend my whole birthday together! Also, take this letter. If you show it to a merchant in Hyrule castle town, they will know that I am paying for you to wear something so you fit in at the party."

Link suddenly felt extremely awkward. Not only had he never really spent any time with Zelda's father, he had never gone anywhere in Hyrule that had a dress code. Zelda sensed this, and added, "Link… I think my father wants me to get married. I think he might announce this tomorrow. If he does, I am going to make my own announcement. I will tell everyone that I do not want to get married… unless it is to you."

And at once, Link had an emotion much more powerful than awkwardness. He was happy. Zelda's plan was just crazy enough to be something he could get on board with entirely. Link liked to think of himself as a wild, free-spirited forest boy, but he knew that it took a woman like Princess Zelda to truly make his life crazy. He smiled. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

* * *

The King of Hyrule woke the next morning about the time he usually woke up: very early. He had beaten the sun in the race to get up so many times, the sun stopped trying to compete. He lit his red candle and washed his face, looking deeply into the mirror. His eyes looked tired. He washed his face more, tightened his bearded jaw, and looked again. Ah ha, he told himself. This time I look determined. Not tired at all. He memorized the face he just made. He would be making it all day, at least with his eyes when his mouth smiled slightly in honor of his daughter's birthday. As a King, he could not afford the luxury of weakness. His people could not afford for him to be weak. He had to be strong for them. And he did not get any breaks.

He even had to be strong with matters relating to his beloved daughter. He knew the way men were, and he knew the types of men who would want to marry Princess Zelda. For wealth. For power. If he did not choose a husband for his daughter, the other men of the world would essentially choose for her, and that would be disastrous. For Zelda to have a chance at happiness, and for his people to have a stable future, he had to choose for her. Someone that could be trusted.

The sun, finally catching up with him, prepared to rise, and the dim light of dawn crept through the windows, rendering his red candle less necessary. He blew it out. He looked again at the mirror. His beard had seemed to gray overnight. He may not be old yet, but he could not look out for Zelda forever.

Besides, no matter who Zelda found on her own, he could not be better than Harkinian. No soldier had ever risen in the ranks of the Hyrule guard faster than Harkinian. The King had met with him on many occasions and felt he was a man of good character, and he was of good birth. Of all the men the King had considered worthy of Princess Zelda, none had come close to comparing to Harkinian. He was the most impressive man the King had ever met.

The King knew of Zelda's friendship with the forest boy Link. He had met Link on several occasions, if only to be kept aware of his daughter's activities. The King had nothing against Link, but the idea of a Princess marrying someone like Link seemed impossible to him. Link was an unmannered hermit. Come to think of it, the King had never even heard him speak! No, the King told himself, I am doing the right thing here.

After dressing in one of his finer robes and donning his stately crown, the King proceeded the dining room. Breakfast was ready, but Princess Zelda was late, as she often was, especially on special occasions. The King sat down and unfolded his napkin, placing it in his lap. He started eating his toast. After his toast was gone and he was starting on his eggs, Zelda arrived, in a much better mood than he was expecting. She was wearing one of her finest white dresses, and her hair was extravagantly arranged, partially pinned up in a bun in the back. Seeing Zelda happy confirmed in his mind that he was making the right decision. Her week of not speaking with him was just a phase, he told himself.

Zelda smiled, they talked about nothing and everything and ate their breakfast in peace together.

This cordial, friendly mood continued until guests started arriving for their private reception. Relatives and friends from near and far had come to pay their respects to Princess Zelda on her special day, but what was unexpected was one guest in particular.

He was dressed in a silk, white shirt with an unbuttoned, stand-up collar, a grey jacket and pants, made of cashmere. His shoes were of shining black leather. He even had gotten a haircut—while his dirty blond hair was long, it was no longer falling near his shoulders. At first, she did not know who he was. Then, Princess Zelda could not contain her smile when she recognized him—to her, he looked utterly ridiculous (but in a good way), standing there awkwardly sporting fine clothes for the first time in his life. However, she could tell that to everyone else, he looked perfectly fine for the occasion. She rushed to him and gave him a hug, sparking the curiosity of everyone present, including the King. "Who is that," the King asked a bystander. Walking over to greet the new guest, the King shook his hand and asked him who he was.

"Dad, do not be silly, you know Link!" Zelda interjected.

The King did a small double-take. "Link? I could not recognize you, looking like that. Well, what a pleasant surprise to see you here!" The King was perfectly polite with all of Zelda's friends, but secretly Zelda knew that the King was concerned that this may interfere with his marriage plans for Zelda.

After a bit of mingling, it was time for the King and Zelda to make their first public appearance. The room they were using had a balcony overlooking the marketplace, which was where the main party was taking place, and it had been in full swing for some time now. The marketplace was packed with people from all over Hyrule and beyond, many familiar faces and many new ones, all having a fun time. There were games, contests, puppets shows and live street performers and magicians, and lots of merchants. Even soldiers were on hand to keep an eye on everyone.

As the King, Impa and Princess Zelda made their way toward the balcony, it was then she saw the King first greet Harkinian, and instantly she suspected he was the mystery man her father had in mind for her. Wearing his full dress uniform, he certainly looked impressive, with his black hair tied in a short ponytail behind his head. A neat goatee rested underneath his long, somewhat-pointed nose, and his eyes were serious and narrow. She disliked him instantly. She beckoned to Link to follow her. Part of her felt guilty, using Link as a sort of marriage shield, but she was not coming up with any other ideas to get out of her predicament, so she ignored her guilt.

As they stepped on to the balcony, the people below cheered. Zelda smiled and waved and they cheered louder. She took Link's arm and held it close, clinging to him with a grip like a vice. I am NOT going to stand next to Harkinian, she told herself.

As was customary, the King stepped forward to make a speech, and the noise subsided. "Welcome to the birthday party of Princess Zelda!" Cheering ensued. "As you all know," he continued, as the noise subsided again, "…she is turning 16 today. And, a bit later, I have an important announcement concerning her that I am sure many of you have been expecting!" They cheered again. Princess Zelda faked a smile, since it seemed the appropriate time to smile, but it was a little difficult to manage. "But in the meantime, it's time for the traditional fencing tournament. As you all know, today is not only my daughter's birthday, it is also the anniversary of sealing Ganon, King of Evil, in the Temple of Time. Zelda is the last in a long line of descendants from the woman who, along with six other sages, joined their power to seal Ganon away forever." The crowd definitely cheered for that remark. "While many of you have never known war, we must always be ready, which is why it is important to teach our children swordplay and to encourage them to serve the crown. Let the tournament begin!"

The King turned to Harkinian. "Would you do me the honor of representing the Royal Guard in the competition? I have heard only the best things about your talents with the sword." Harkinian smiled and agreed. "All in good fun," Harkinian added. He removed his jacket, spun over the railing and, dropping himself to hang from the floor of the balcony, he let go and fell gracefully to the cobbled street below. "Show-off," Zelda thought to herself.

As much as Princess Zelda disliked Harkinian, this was her favorite part of her birthday parties. While secretly she knew she could probably be quite respectable in such a competition, she just enjoyed watching. People from all over Hyrule and beyond showed off their strange yet effective swordplay techniques, and it was fascinating to see. Harkinian was not at all bad either, Zelda admitted to herself. Zelda observed that he frequently bested and disarmed his opponents in the opening moments of a match, with a minimal display of effort. As it became clear that Harkinian was the front-runner, they began calling for volunteers. Can no one stand up to the Royal Guard? a soldier yelled mockingly. Zelda smiled to herself impishly. Not that it mattered, but she would love to see the look on Harkinian's face after having a match with Link. Come to think of it, she thought, I would want to see my father's face as well.

Zelda turned to Link. "I know you do not usually care for this sort of thing, but would you do it, for me?" She asked him. Link had long given up on seeking fame and glory for himself. If he wanted to be popular, he would not live the life of a hermit in the forests of Hyrule. But Zelda did not need to ask him twice. He would do anything for her, and besides, he had been intrigued by watching Harkinian's talents. He had not faced such a worthy adversary in quite a while. So, though no pride showed on his face, he nodded and removed his jacket. Laying it on a nearby chair, he took one step and, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, sprung into the air and forward-flipped over the railing, flipping one more time through the air to land on the cobbled street below. The crowd gasped, and then cheered wildly. The King frowned, not sure what to make of Link. Impa smiled. She was looking forward to seeing the match between Link and Harkinian, not sure what to expect. She had heard of Link's skills many times from Zelda, but was never sure whether or not Zelda was exaggerating.

"We have a new challenger!" the announcer yelled, egging the crowd on to even greater levels of volume. While before, several matches had been taking place simultaneously in different corners of the marketplace, including matches for different age groups such as the sword-swinging youngsters, for this match the crowd instinctively cleared a large space in the middle of the marketplace, and everyone prepared to give the match their full attention.

A man came and gave Link his choice of wooden swords. Link picked a medium-weight blade, and gave it couple practice swings. He was ready. He looked across the arena at Harkinian. Harkinian did not seem concerned. "It is just as well, he will not see this coming." Link told himself. Noticing that he was starting to take this match and himself a bit too seriously, Link smiled a goofy smile and turned in a circle, greeting the crowd with a wave. They cheered, as always. "That's better. I should not take this too seriously, it is just a game," he told himself, but he only half believed it.

Harkinian stepped toward the middle of the ring, and Link followed suit. They bowed out of courtesy, and Harkinian began circling Link. In most of his other matches, Link had noticed, Harkinian's opponents had rushed him, hoping to catch him off guard. They were playing right into his hands, and often lost quickly. Link was in no hurry. As a few moments passed, the impatient crowd turned their anger to Harkinian. Why should he be afraid of this stranger, when he beat everyone else, they wondered. However, the crowd's taunting had no effect on Harkinian's resolve or patience. "Fine. If he will not attack first, I will, but CAREFULLY," Link told himself.

Link sprung forward, bringing his sword from overhead down at an angle toward Harkinian, who parried. Link continued with a fierce combination of swings, accenting each strike with a feral cry, each louder than the one before. Harkinian did not stay on the defensive long before returning the favor. As Link expected, Harkinian skillfully dodged one strike completely, hoping to throw Link off-balance by breaking his pattern and not deflecting the blow, and returned a horizontal counter blow with lightning speed, aimed straight for Link's collarbone. Link, by anticipating, returned Harkinian's same favor an instant after Harkinian offered it, and ducked completely beneath the incoming blow, despite its incredible speed. Then, in one fluid motion, Link parlayed his downward momentum into a sideways roll across the cobblestone, half-circling around Harkinian in a fraction of a second. Harkinian was only caught off guard by Link's agility for split-second, but that was all Link needed, transitioning seamlessly from his roll to a spinning, upward strike, catching Harkinian squarely on the back of his dominant shoulder, launching him into the air and sending him spinning wildly to the cobblestone.

The crowd, needless to say, had been instantly worked into an absolute frenzy. They had not seen a match like this in years, if ever. Even the King, who was trying his best to be on Harkinian's side, could not help but be impressed by Link's apparent mastery of the sword. He hardly stifled smile that, though small, encompassed not just his mouth but his eyes as well. "I probably look old, smiling like this," he thought to himself.

Harkinian did not stay down long. He got to his feet, and his face showed sincere emotion for the first time for as long as anyone there had ever known him. He was mad. Not even Harkinian's fellow soldiers had ever seen this side of the man, a man who was usually so composed and seemingly good-natured. Apparently, he was not good loser. Harkinian shouted, "I'll smash in your puny skull, boy!!!" He growled and came at Link with everything. Link, while athletic and strong for his age, was nowhere near as strong as Harkinian. Link, being only a boy of roughly 15 years, was probably outweighed by Harkinian by at least 75 pounds, and he towered over him. At first, Link tried to block Harkinian's blows directly, but soon gave up that tactic as each blow was delivered with such staggering force that the resulting vibrations through his wood sword stung Link's fingers intensely, despite his firm grip. Instead, Link deflected the blows indirectly, one by one, and when he got a split second opportunity, did a back flip, putting some much-needed space between him and his enraged aggressor, giving himself a moment to think.

A moment was all he would get, as Harkinian immediately continued his savage assault. Link's mind raced, when was the last time he was in a jam like this, against an opponent who has me outmatched in almost every way, he asked himself. Link was beginning to feel fatigue, but then it occurred to him, Harkinian probably was too, even if he did not show it. So Link just held on, dodging and blocking, for as long as he could. If he could not beat Harkinian, he would outlast him.

And, sure enough, despite Harkinian's exceptional skill, Link started to notice cracks in the armor of his technique. Perhaps an opportunity here, a misstep there, Link observed as he deflected blow after blow. Still, I will wait for the perfect moment, I may only get one shot at this, Link concluded. Then, leaning forward, he rolled the proverbial dice. He spun his sword around Harkinian's with unusual speed and force, almost signaling in advance that Link was about to make his move. It was as if Link was daring Harkinian to stop him, knowing full well that Harkinian was more exhausted then he was letting show. As Harkinian's blade was spun in a clock-wise circle, Link released the sword lock and brought the flat of his blade, in a downward motion, into the back of Harkinian's calf, just below the knee, sweeping Harkinian's feet out from under him—but Link did not stop with that. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, even before Harkinian had landed on the cobbled street, Link leaped high, straight into the air, gathering all his weight and focusing into a downward finishing blow. Harkinian landed with a heavy thud, and before he could lift his blade in defense, Link's knee came down on his chest, and his sword came to a sudden halt, just before Harkinian's neck. It was over, and Harkinian was beaten.

* * *

Realizing his defeat, Harkinian regained his composure. Perhaps I can save face and lose with a little class, he told himself. Getting to his feet, he took Link's hand, as if he were the referee, and raised it up, signaling Link's victory. He smiled and patted Link on the back. It was then that the King thought the moment was right.

"Let's hear it for Harkinian, as humble and dignified in defeat as he is in victory!" The crowd's response was less than enthusiastic, why is the King calling for recognition for Harkinian in Link's moment of triumph? The King continued, "I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Harkinian, as he has distinguished himself in my service as an honorable warrior and a trusted ally. Over the past few years, Harkinian has become less like a soldier to me, and more like a son. And so, it is with great pleasure and pride that I announce to you all that I have asked Harkinian to consider taking my beloved daughter, Princess Zelda, in the holy bonds of matrimony, and he has agreed! Trust me, ladies and gentlemen, there is not a more fitting choice in all of Hyrule for the man who will take Zelda's hand in marriage, and, in time, succeed me as the King of Hyrule!" The suddenness of the announcement caught all present off-guard, but the crowd warmed quickly to the idea of an upcoming wedding for Princess Zelda, and all the partying that that entails. The noise level of the rejoicing rose.

Harkinian threw his arm over Link's shoulder and smiled at him. "Let's rejoin them up on that balcony and see how Zelda is taking the good news, shall we?" Link nodded. Harkinian continued, "Say, where did you learn to fight like that? We could use a boy like you in the Royal Guard!" Link shrugged. He had not really learned his sword-fighting all in one place, so he was not sure how to answer. The two of them passed by the guards and into the building, and walked up the stairs toward the second floor.

On the balcony, the King shook Link's hand and congratulated him, leaving Harkinian to approach Princess Zelda. Harkinian took Zelda's hands and she smiled at him. But as he leaned in to kiss the Princess, she turned away, and her smile vanished. The crowd took notice from the marketplace below. "I cannot continue this for the sake of appearances," Zelda told herself. "There is no way I will marry Harkinian while my heart belongs to Link," she thought. She walked to Link and took his hand, and she turned to address the marketplace, with him at his side.

"My dear people," she began. "Thank you so much for attending my birthday celebration. I am grateful to each and every one of you, and I have been having the most wonderful time." But her expression turned more serious. "I may live in the palace with my head in the clouds…" the crowd laughed lightly, "but that is not the same as living under a rock. I know that there has been so much talk about my getting married, and now it seems even the King is believing it!" The crowd got dead silent. "The truth is, I am not ready to be married. Not to anyone. As flattered as I am by Harkinian's interest in me, it is a proposal that I cannot accept. He deserves a girl who is capable of giving him her whole heart. Someday, maybe someday soon, I imagine I will be ready for marriage, and when I am, I promise that I will love that person completely and forever." She looked at Link, half happy, to have gotten that out, but half sad, that she did not say more. Zelda was sad that she could not announce her love for Link, as she planned. Something was telling her the timing was all wrong. She finished, saying, "That is all."

What happened next came suddenly and without warning. Harkinian, interestingly, seemed strangely unemotional about both what had just happened and what was beginning to happen. He remained calm, serious, and unreadable. There were scattered shouts of agony, from different corners of the marketplace, and soldiers began to fall. Zelda screamed in terror, followed quickly by the crowd, and panic ensued. It was an ambush. From the ranks of the previously joyful spectators came assassins, brandishing small, hidden blades and dispatching soldiers systematically, with ruthless skill and without mercy.

Of everyone else present, only Impa seemed to keep a cool head. She protectively grabbed Princess Zelda and, jumping off the railing, carried Zelda to the roof of the building in an instant. Then they were gone. As a man began climbing the outside of the railing of the balcony, holding a knife made of bone, Link swiftly kicked him in the face, sending him crashing to the street below. Link knew of Impa's loyalty and skill, but he had a hunch that she would need help. It hardly seemed coincidental that this uproar occurred after Zelda's announcement that she would not marry Harkinian. On top of that, Harkinian was behaving most strangely, doing nothing and showing no remorse that the Royal Guard was being slaughtered all around him. Link had no time to worry about Harkinian, he followed Impa's footsteps, springing to the roof in close pursuit.

"By the Gods, Impa moves fast," Link told himself, barely catching a glimpse of Impa, with Zelda in her arms, disappearing over the far side of the rooftop, swinging down from a rope she apparently had grapple-hooked into a nearby open window. She was making a dash for the safety of the palace, Link told himself. Sprinting to the edge of the rooftop Impa just left, Link looked all around, determined to make a decision quickly rather than carefully. Hardly pausing for more than a second, Link jumped from the roof to the ledge underneath the row of windows on the second floor. Only staying on the ledge half a second to partially break his fall, he jumped again, landing on the street below with a forward shoulder roll. It was only then that Link realized he had unconsciously been holding the wooden sword this whole time! Carrying the sword was second-nature to him, and he only now realized that it may come in handy.

Looking ahead, Link saw a problem. Princess Zelda and Impa had reached a dead end. Someone had closed the Palace's outer gates, and they were not opening it. On top of that, since it was situated in a canyon with tall rock walls, Zelda and Impa were trapped, their only escape being back the way they came, into Hyrule marketplace and through an army of assassins. It was here they would have to make their stand.

"Good of you to join us, Link. I think those skills of yours are about to come in handy." Impa said. Princess Zelda wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had failed to show her love for Link earlier that day, and it was a mistake she apparently was not keen to duplicate. Link felt a tinge of melancholy—he realized that he had often wanted Zelda to kiss him like that, but never under such tragic circumstances. Their chances of survival seemed slim.

And a crowd of assassins approached, being led by a cloaked figure, and followed closely by Harkinian. Apparently, he is showing his true colors, Link thought. The cloaked figure pulled back its hood, revealing her long, jet-black hair, and black markings around her eyes. She was like a Sheikah, the sworn protectors of the Royal family, only not—something was off about her.

"Here, take this, Link," Impa said, handing him a steel short sword. He actually preferred the wooden sword, so he decided to wield the short sword in his left hand, the wooden sword in his right. Zelda wielded her favorite dagger, as lethal as it was beautiful. Impa held nothing, but somehow Link knew she could have any number of weapons ready in an instant. Zelda, Impa and Link glanced at each other, and then at the woman. "Who are you?" asked Zelda.

"My name is Merai." She said, her voice steely and cold. "Hand over Princess Zelda, and we will let you live."

"What do you want with her?" Impa asked.

"We are loyal to the true King of Hyrule, Ganon. We know that Zelda is the key to restoring Ganon to power. We will have her, and her secrets, or we will kill you all. It's your choice." Both Merai and Harkinian shared the same expression, a cold, lethal gaze with a bloodlust lying just beneath the surface.

Zelda stepped forward. "No, stay back!" ordered Impa. Zelda turned around. "They have archers," argued Zelda. "They have an army, and we are cornered. You live because they allow it." She looked directly at Impa. "This is MY decision. We are beaten, for now. You will serve Hyrule best by surviving." She looked at Link. "Goodbye, my love."

Merai disarmed Princess Zelda, bound her wrists and ankles, and took her onto a black horse and rode off, toward back toward the marketplace and presumably away from Hyrule. A number of their ranks followed on horseback, to provide a protective escort, leaving Harkinian and a still-formidable number of assassins behind with Link and Impa.

* * *

"I am never going to forgive myself for letting her go," Impa said under her breath. She and Link, standing in front of the closed inner gate of Hyrule Palace, were trapped between two walls of a high rock canyon. The traitorous Harkinian, leading a group of merciless assassins, blocked their only path of escape, a lethal look in their evil eyes.

Harkinian smiled. "Now, about that offer to let you both live," he began, "…it was utter crap. I am going to enjoy teaching you a lesson, boy. Slowly, painfully, until you learn, and until you die." he said, looking at Link, his face twisted into an even crueler expression than ever before.

The mob of assassins, led by Harkinian, crept forward. Just when all hope seemed to be lost, from above, round, blue metallic bombs with lit fuses fell from atop the canyon wall. Harkinian looked up, his expression changing from hatred to terror. "Take cover!" He yelled, but it was already too late for many of his men. The explosions were deafening, and men's tattered bodies were flung through the air. Harkinian, with his speed, followed many of his men and avoided a quick and painful death. They looked up, and backlit by the high afternoon sun, a large, menacing silhouette stood, triumphant in the sky. Then, leaping from the canyon wall, directly for Harkinian, came the King of Hyrule, a glistening longsword clutched above his head, poised to strike.

Harkinian dove for safety, and just in time. The King's strike missed and he landed with a heavy crash onto his foot and knee. It looked painful. The remaining assassins, having regained their senses following the bombing, charged at the King and readied their arrows, but Link and Impa stepped into the middle. Impa, throwing metallic blades concealed in her cloak, killed the archers before they could let their arrows fly, and Link, wielding the two swords like the true master he was, charged into the middle of the mob, dropping his attackers with startling speed.

With his hope of backup diminished, Harkinian turned his attention to the King. "I am like a son to you, old fool?" He asked. "Well, as your son, I look forward to giving a moving speech at your funeral!" The King swung his longsword for Harkinian's head, who ducked. "Fool me once, you die!" retorted the King. The King fought bravely, but he was no match for Harkinian. As Link and Impa together dispatched the last of the assassins, they turned to offer assistance to the King as quickly as they could, but they were not in time to save his life. The King, with a reckless rage, ignored Harkinian's threatening move and desperately drove the tip of his longsword through the center of Harkinian's chest, even as Harkinian's blade found its mark as well. They had stabbed each other at the same time. Harkinian mumbled, "Stupid fool," and crumpled to the ground, letting out his last breath. The King, still standing, turned to face Link and Impa, the sword still in his chest. Pulling out the sword, he chuckled ironically, "And today I was feeling younger than I have in years!"

The King fell to the ground, and Impa and Link rushed to his side. Holding him, they listened. The King said, "Link, there is something… I want to tell you. I was wrong. It is funny… I have the benefit of… years of experience, dealing with people, and yet, what I…" the King coughs, blood splattering to his lips. "…What I knew about Harkinian…with my head… wasn't as true as what Zelda knew…about you…all along…with…her…heart." It took all his effort to finish his dying apology to Link. He trailed off, then closing his eyes, and he was at peace, at last. The King of Hyrule no longer had to be strong for anyone.

Link closed his eyes and bowed his head in respect. Today was interesting, Link thought, but not at all as he had expected. Not only was Zelda gone, but if what Merai said was true, Merai was inches away from resurrecting Ganon, the King of evil.

Apparently, Impa was thinking the same thing. "Link, I know what you are thinking, but there is still hope. Zelda is but one of seven lines of sages who have protected the seal of the Temple of Time for hundreds of years, and they all must be alive for the magic to be undone. I do not know this Merai, but I know of her kind. Like the Sheikah people, who are sworn to protect the Royal Family of Hyrule, Merai and her people are sworn to bring Ganon back to life and rule at his side, and if she is anything like me, she will stop at nothing to bring her plans to fruition."

"Link, I can guide you, but you alone are able to become the hero Hyrule needs, a hero who can stop Merai's plan. I know you have it within yourself. You must be brave." Link lifted his head, and looked into the Hyrule sky. It appeared a great adventure was before him.

This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfiction. I hope you like it. Email me at for any feedback ,tips or suggestions. Thanks!


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